Folding chair



March 1, 1960 G. N. RITTENBERG 2,926,724

FOLDING CHAIR Filed June 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG 1 INVENTOR c E-ORG-E N. RI'TTEIVBERG ATTORNEY March 1, 1960 G. N. RITTENBERG 2,926,724

FOLDING CHAIR 3 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed June 3, 1959 FIG 2 III III

45 46 4 Kid FIG 3 INVENTOR GEORGE N. R T'TENBERQ use cI36 ATTORNEY March 1, 1960 G. N. RITTENBERG 2,926,724

FOLDING CHAIR Filed June 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR GE RGE N. R ITTEN BERG- ATTORNEY United States Patent hire 2,926,124 FOLDING CHAiR George N. Rittenberg, New York, NY.

Application June 3, 1959, Serial No. 817,917 3 Claims. or. 155-147 folding chairs are United States Letters Patent 1,703,879, r

issued to G. I. Goldwyn, and 2,722,972 issued to I. B. Altruda. The patent to Goldwyn is of the directors type chair and embodies a feature of both a foldable leg and back assembly thereby permitting a more compact folded unit than heretofore attained with this style chair. The Altrudadevice is more or less similar to the newer African camp style chair and is capable of being folded into a compact elongate unit.

The present novel invention is directed to a beach or directors style chair that is of a unitary construction and capable of complete compact folding for ease of storage in a minimum of space. In addition, the novel chair of the present invention includes a novel full folding sun canopy and a full folding novel foot rest.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel foldable structure.

Another object of the present novel invention is to provide a novel foldable chair.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel foldable chair having a novel full folding canopy.

Still another object of the present novel invention is to provide a unique foldable chair with a full folding canopy and leg rest. 1

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fully foldable chair with an adjustable positionable back and arm rests.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a fully foldable chair with an adjustably positionableback and arm rests and a fully adjustable foldable canopy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chair defined by a pair of spaced cross legs with novel pivotally interconnected bracing defining a rigid chair.

when in use and capable of being compactly folded for ease of storage.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide 'a novel foldable chair having a canopy and leg rest that is inexpensive to manufacture of simple construction which is easily opened or folded for use or storage, respectively.

These and other objects will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 3, is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the novel elongate leg braces;

Figure 4, is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the crossed leg assemblies showing one of the pivotal braces associated therewith;

Figure 5, is a fragmentary plan view of the canopy structure showing the novel pivotal braces thereof;

Figure 6, is a fragmentary side elevational view of the means of adjusting the canopy assembly;

Figure 7, is a side elevational view of the novel chair in its folded position;

Figure 8, is a front elevational view of the novel chair of the present invention in its folded position; and

Figure 9, is a perspective view of the novel foldable foot res-t associated with the chair of the present invention.

Turning now to the drawings and particularly to: Figure l, in conjunction with Figures 2, through 6, thedetails of the novel fully foldable chair, generally designated 20, will now be fully described.

Chair 20 comprises front and back tubular legs 22 and i 24 preferably formed from lightweight metal such as aluminum pivotally interconnected as at 26 and 28, re spectively. The upper ends of each of the legs 22 are pivotally connected to upper braces 30 as by rivets 32. The other ends of braces 30 being pivotally connected to rear legs 24 as by means of rivets 34. Braces 30 are also preferably formed from lightweight tubular aluminum stock; however, it should be emphasized here that any suitable structural material can be used in place of aluminum.

The lower ends of legs 22 are pivotally connected as by rivets 36 to longitudinal flat sheet stock braces 38, and the lower ends of legs 24 are pivotally connected by rivets 40 to elongate sheet stock braces 42; Braces 38 and 42 are pivotally interconnected intermediate these ends as by rivets 46. A second rivet 44 fixedly mounted in brace 42 engages to slotted ends 50 of braces 38 as will hereinafter be more fully described. As clearly seen in Figure 1 rivet 46 is slidable mounted in slots 48 of braces 38 for a purpose to appear.

Also pivotally mounted at one end on rivet 34 is a flat sheet stock brace member 52 whose other end is pivotally connected as at 54 to integral angular projections 56 of braces 58. The right hand ends of braces 58, as viewedin Figure 1, are pivotally connected as at 61 to one end of brace elements 60. The other ends of elements 60 being pivotally connected by rivets 62 to legs 22. The free ends of braces 58 are slotted as at 64 to engage rivets 66 fixedly mounted in each of th legs 24, for a purpose which shall appear. I

As clearly seen in Figure 1, one of the legs 22 is pivotally connected as at 68 to flat brace 70 which is in turn pivotally connected by rivet 72 to brace 74. The other or free end of brace 74 being pivotally connected by rivet 76 to the other leg 22. Slot 78 in brace 74 alidably engages rivet 80 fixedly mounted in brace 70, for a purpose which shall appear. Similarly each of the legs 24 are pivotally connected as at 82 and 84 to braces 86 and 88, respectively; and pivotally interconnected as rivets 61 and 62 are upstanding fiat arm braces 96 which fixedly mount inwardly projecting rivets 98 at their up- Patented Mar. 1, 1960 Brace 86 also fixedly per ends, for a purpose to be described. Intermediate rivets 94 and 98 arm braces 96 are slotted as at 100 to engage projecting rivets 1&2 fixedly mounted on braces 30.

Also pivotally connected to each of the braces 30by means'of rivets 34 are a. pair oftubular upstanding back braces 104.which define the back of chair 253. Braces 104 are interconnected by pivotally interrelated braces 106 and 1080f exactly similar construction and assem bly to braces 70 and 74.

Arm rest assemblies, generally designated 116, comprise fiat vertical portions 112 pivotally connected at one end to back braces 104 by rivets 114- and provided at its forward end with a series of adjustment slots 116 for engaging rivets 98, as will appear. Disposed at right angles toport'ion 112 in an integral arm rest portion 118 for purposes'of supporting a persons arms.

Pivotally 'connected to'the upper ends of back braces 104 as by means of screws 120 and wing nuts 122 are a pair of outwardly extending tubular support members 124 which serve to support a canvas canopy or the like, 126. As best seen in Figure 5, one of the braces 124 is pivotally connected as at 128 to a pair of flat stiffener elements .130 and the other brace 124 is pivotally connected. as at 132 to stiffener elements 134. Braces or stiffener elements 130 and 134 are pivotally intercorr nected together as at 136 and slots 133 of each of the stiffener-s 130and 134 engage rivets 14!} mounted in the complementary stilfe' er as clearly seen on Figure 5, for a purpose to appear. i

Forward legs 22 are provided with through holes or apertures 142 for purposes of mounting a foot rest assembly, to be described hereinafter.

A canvas element or sheet 144 is looped over each of the side braces 30 and stitched or sewed on itself as at 146 to define a seat for chair 2,. Similarly, canvas sheet or element 148 is mounted on braces 04 to define a back supporting member for chair 20.

Turning now to Figures 7 and 8 a brief description of the condition of chair 20 in its folded position will now be described. As clearly seen in the drawings legs 22 and 24'are'released from their braced position by releasing the interlocked relation of braces 76 and 74, and 86 and 88,'so thateach of the legs 22 and '24 can be pivotally moved, on pivots 26 and 28, toward themselves, the respective slotted engagement of braces 38 and 42, and arm' braces 96 are released from their respective rivets, and wing nuts 122 are loosened. Braces 38 and 42 are then folded or bent on sliding pivots 46 permitting rear legs 24 to be drawn forward toward legs 22. The disengagement of braces 58 from their rivets 66 and arm braces 96'from rivets 102 permit arm assemblies 110 and back braces "104 to be moved forwardly into a folded' condition. Of course, 196 and 108, and 13d and 13 1- have heretofore been released so that back braces 104 and canopy supports 124 can be moved laterally in close adjacent relation when legs 22 and legs 24 are folded on themselves, as seen in Figure 8..

Slots 116 which'in the open position permit adjustment of backbraces 104 froma reclining position to a vertical or upright position also permit pivotal movement of' a'rrn assemblies 111 on rivets 98 for folding arm as emblies 1 downwardly into a compact folded position when the chair is not in use.

The chair 20 can thus be folded to an extremely compact unit when not in use as partially shown by Figures 7 and 8'.

Turning now to Figure 9 the details of the novel foldable foot rest, generally designated 20d, will now be particularly described. Rest 29% comprises a pair of crossed legs 292 pivotally interconnected as at 204, similar to legs 22 or 2-4. A brace 296' is pivotally connected as at 207 at one end to one of the legs 202 while another brace 20$ is'connected at one end as at 213 to the other legl202. 'j'Th two braces 2G6 and 208 are pivotally in.

terconnected by means of rivet 212, and slot 214 of brace 208 slidably engages rivet 216 fixedly mounted in brace 206, in the same manner as braces 70 and 74.

Horizontal arms 218 are pivotally connected at one end as by rivets 220 to the upper ends of each of the legs 2%2. Intermediate the ends of arms 218 is a brace assembly 222 comprising a flat element 224 pivotally connected at one end as by rivet 226 to one arm 218 and another fiat element 228 pivotally connected as at 230 to the other arm 2'18. Elements 224 and 228 are pivotaiiy interconnected toward their free ends by rivet 232 and slot 234 of element 228 slidable engages fixed rivet 236 mounted in element 224. The construction and operation of elements 224 and 228 are exactly similar to elements and 134.

The free ends of arms 218 are provided with out 7 wardly extending protrusions 238, which may be pins, rivets, screws or the like which are for the purpose of engaging apertures 142 in legs 22 to mount rest 200 thereon.

f course rest 200 is fully foldable by virtue of its pivotal construction, and it can bev folded while assembled to chair 20 or removed therefrom and independently folded, as the case may be.

From the foregoing it will be readily appreciated that there is herein provided .a novel foldable canopy-fo0t rest chair that is of simple design, inexpensive to manufacture, and which is easily opened to usable position or easily foldedto compact storage position.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential scope or characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced there- What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A folding chair comprising spaced front and rear crossed legs respectively pivotally interconnected; members connected to respective front and rear legs; back means pivotally connected to said rear legs; support means pivotally connected at one end to said back means; and multiple articulated linkage means pivotally connected to said front and rear legs'and support means, respectively, whereby said chair is completely foldable to a compact unit when not in use.

2. A folding chair comprising a pair of spacedcrossed legs each pivotaliy connected together to permit folding thereof; braces connected to mutually crossed legs; elongated members connected to said spaced legs; a flexible material supported at the upper ends of said legs defining and support means, whereby said chair can be folded to a compact unit when not in use; and lock means on said elongated members engaging said brace means in one position to maintain said support means in a rigid position when the chair is unfolded.

3. A folding chair comprising pairs of spaced forward and rearward crossed legs; first elongated members con;

nected to respective front and rear legs; second elongated: members connected to the upper ends of respective front and rear legs; a flexible material on said second elongated members defining a seat of said chair; back means pivotaliy connected to the upper ends of said rearward crossed legs; a .fiexiblejmaterial mounted on said back References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Krile Feb. 21, 1911 Rechler Apr. 19, 1949 10 Ruby Ian. 23, 1951 Gittings et a1. Jan. 15, 1952 Androsiglio Nov. 10, 1953 Heyman Nov. 17, 1953 McQuilkin July 19, 1955 Meyer et a1. Dec. 6, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 23, 1935 

